Computer control system for refining and hydrogenation of unsaturated hydrocarbons

ABSTRACT

Described is a control system for a refining hydrogenation and deodorizing plate for edible oils and the like wherein various system variable are converted into signals which are fed to a computer which controls the system to optimize performance and reduce oil losses.

Us. rror- 2 s COMPUTER CONTROL SYSTEM FOR 7 REFINING AND HYDROGENATION 0F UNSATURATED HYDROCARBONS Richard E.Putman, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Original application Dec. 16, 1969, Ser. No. 885,405, now

Patent No. 3,653,842, dated Apr. 4, 1972. Divided and this application Dec. 14, 1971, Ser. No. 208,009 Int. Cl. B01d 3/38, 3/40 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Described is a control system for a refining hydrogenation and deodorizing plant-for. edible oils and thelike .wherein various system variables, are converted into signals which are fed to a computer which controls the system to optimize performance and reduceoil losses.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a'divisional of application Ser. No. 885,405

filed Dec. 16, 1969, now US. Pat. No. 3,653,842 issued stances"which,""afte'r hydration, report to the soap 'stock in passin'g through a centrifuge or separator. The oil is umped with aproportion'ed amount of caustic of predetermined concentration to mixers in which much of the chemical reaction takes place. The reactions include neutralization of the free fatty acids and hydration of gums and the like. The resulting material then passes through a-heat exchanger where the temperature is raised to approximately 150 F., and then to primary separators in which the gums and soaps are separated from the neutral oil. The neutral oil, containing traces of sodium and water, then passes through a second heat exchanger to a mixer, into which is also fed heated water together with a small amount of phosphoric acid for the neutralization of any caustic-carried over with the neutral oil. This mixed liquid is then pumped to secondary or washing separators. Here the neutral oil is separated from-the water and is pumped to avacuum drier in which an water remaining in the oil is removed.

1 After Winterizing to remove. glycerides, the oil is pumped from storage and passes through a heat exchanger where it is heated to approximately 250 F. before entering the hydrogenation converter. A catalyst of a suitable grade is slurrified with the oil and pumped into the converter. Hydrogen is then bubbled through the heated oil, in which process the unsaturated oil is converted to a hydrogenated or saturated oil which will harden upon cooling; Finally, the oil is processed in a deodorizing vacuum chamber where volatiles are removed and the remaining free fatty acids are recovered.

In the refining process, enough caustic should be added to remove the free fatty acids and other impurities. How- United States Patent 0 "ice ever, if too much caustic is added, it converts the de- 3,809,621 Patented May 7, 1974 sired oil into a soap which is lost in a centrifuge. In the past, the efficiency of the refining process in terms of oil loss has been determined only at the end of a processing cycle for a batch of oil. In other words, excessive caustic addition and soap generation was determined after the fact when it was too late to correct the matter for a particular batch.

In a somewhat similar manner, the degree of hydrogenation has heretofore been determined after the fact by taking a sample of the oil and determining the iodine value which is linearly related to the amount of hydrogen absorbed by the Oil. NO known satisfactory means has .been devised for continually monitoring the amount of hydrogen, absorption to determine the end point of the hydrogenation process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION As an overall object, the present invention seeks to provide a computer control system for an oil refining and hydrogenation plant whereby the process can be controlled on-line rather than by trial-and-error testing techniques.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a means for controlling an edible oil refining process wherein the sodium content in neutral oil is measured and continually monitored and the caustic-to-oil flow ratio in the system adjusted to attain elimination of fatty acids and other impurities without excessive loss of oil due to saponification.

. Another object of the invention is to provide a method for controlling hydrogenation of unsaturated hydrocarbons by a comparison of the mass flow rates of hydrogen into and out of a batch of oil to be hydrogenated.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a ;new and improved system for deodorizing edible hydroperiodically make a deliberate change in thecaustic-tooil flow ratio. The computer also measures the corresponding change in sodium content of the neutral .oil,

Without at this time making a correcting adjustment to back pressure at the output or a centrifuge. If the sodium is deficient, only a small change insodium in the neutral oil will be detected since the sodium will react, with the free fatty acids. It the sodium is in excess, a small change will again be recorded due to saponification. The largest change will occur with maximum neutralization of free fatty acids at minimum saponification of neutral oil. Thus, the computer, by making a series of small changes in the caustic-to-crude oil ratio first in one direction, then in the other and noting the effect on sodium in neutral oil, adjusting back pressure and repeating the process, can establish the optimum caustic-to-crude oil ratio for a given crude. By controlling the sodium content in the neutral oil at an agreed load level, the neutral oil recovery rate also will be optimized.

In the hydrogenation process, hydrogen is bubbled through heated unsaturated oil, most of the gas passing through the oil being pumped back to the inlet. However, the space above the oil is also connected through a suitable valve to a purge outlet in order to bleed ofl? nitrogen which accumulates above the bath of oil. By measuring the hydrogen content of the purged gas, and from a consideration of the net hydrogen absorbed, the nitrogen content of the purged gas can be controlled so as to hold it at some maximum level. Furthermore, from a consideration of the amount of hydrogen fed into the system and that purged with the nitrogen, the total hydrogen absorbed can be determined to determine the end point of the hydrogenation process.

In the deodorizing of the refined oil, the oil is placed within a container and a vacuum is created above the oil by means of steam ejectors. Completion of the deodorizing process is determined by means of a total hydrocarbons analyzer which determines the rate of change of volatile content in the vapor.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanylng drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the crude oil refining system for unsaturated oils showing the manner in which it is controlled by means of a computer in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of hydrogenation apparatus for unsaturated oils showing the manner in which it is controlled by means of a computer in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an oil deodorizing system showing the manner in which it is controlled by means of a computer in accordance with the invention.

With reference now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, the system shown includes a computer having input terminals 12 and output terminals 14. As will be seen, the computer 10 is used not only to control the refining process shown in FIG. 1 but also the hydrogenation process of FIG. 2 and the deodorizing process of FIG. 3.

Crude unsaturated oil such as soybean oil, peanut oil, corn oil or the like is stored in a tank 16 and fed by means of pump 18 to a first positive displacement flowmeter 20 and thence to a density meter 22 which may be of the weighted U-tube type. The signals from flowmeter 20 and density meter 22 are fed to the computer 10 as shown.

After passing through the density meter 22, the crude oil passes through a three-way valve 24, after which water from storage tank 25 and a caustic such as sodium hydroxide from a caustic feed tank 27 is added to the oil via conduits 26 and 28. The mixture then passes to a mixer 30 where much of the chemical reaction between the caustic and free fatty acids as well as hydration occurs. The mixture then passes through a heat exchanger 32 where the temperature is raised to approximately 150 F. and then to a first centrifuge 34. The centrifuge 34, which operates on the principle of differential specific gravities, causes the mixture to rotate whereby the heavier soaps and impurities will be caused to flow radially outwardly while the refined oil remains at the center of the centrifuge. The soaps are skimmed off and the refined oil passed through valve 36 and three-way valve 38 to a second positive displacement flowmeter 40 and a second density meter 42. The flowmeter 40 and density meter 42 also produce electrical signals which are fed back to the input of computer 10.

Connected to the conduit carrying the refined oil intermediate the flowmeter 40 and density meter 42 is a flame photometer 44 designed for the measurement of sodium concentration. The photometer 44, therefore, provides a means for determining whether excess sodium has been added to the oil. The analyzer 44 also produces an electrical signal which is fed to the input of computer 10.

After passing through density meter 42, the oil passes through a third three-way valve 46 and thence through a heat exchanger 48 to a mixing tank 50 where it is mixed with Water and phosphoric acid supplied from a storage tank 52. The phosphoric acid, which is added in only small amounts, serves to neutralize any residual caustic in the neutral oil.

From the storage tank 50, the oil is pumped by pump 54 to a second centrifuge 56. 'Here the neutral oil is separefined oil tank 62 Where it is being hydrogenated.

The lye added to the oil from tank 27 consists of sodium hydroxide dissolved in water, the amount of water present varying with sodium hydroxide concentration. The causticto-oil flow ratio is a chemical relationship determined by the need to neutralize the free fatty acids without excessive saponification of neutral oil. The water, on the other hand, all reports to the soap since only traces are found in the neutral oil. The total amount of water added may, therefore, be regarded as that required to insure a free flowing soap.

In the system shown in FIG. 1, the water and lye flow rates are controlled separately; and it is necessary to make up a lye with a concentration which requires dilution by the on-line addition of water. This means the system must run with a lye concentration slightly higher than would ordinarily be the case. The water, in passing from tank 25, passes a thermometer 64 and then passes through a flowmeter 66 and a valve 68. An electrical signal proportional to the temperature of the water is applied to the computer 10, as is the flow rate as determined by. the flowmeter 66. The flowmeter 66 also controls a controller 70 for the valve 68, the set point for the controller being derived from the output of the computer 10.

Likewise, the caustic solution, as it passes from tank 27, first has its temperature measured by thermometer 72 and then passes through flowmeter 74 and valve 76 before it reaches the mixer 30. Signals proportional to temperature and flow rate from elements 72 and 74 are applied to the input of the computer 10, the output of the flowmeter 74 also being used to control a controller 78 for the valve 76. The controller 78, like controller 70, receives the set point signal from the output of the computer 10.

Connected to the input and output of the centrifuge 34 are pressure sensing devices 80 and 82. These pressure sensing devices 80 and 82 produce electrical signals, proportional to pressure, which are fed back to the input of computer 10. The pressure sensor 82 also serves to control a controller 86 for valve 36, the controller 86 receiving a set point signal from the output of computer 10.

It can be seen, therefore, that the computer controls the setting of valve 56 as well as the settings of valves 68 and 76 in order to add the correct amount of caustic to the oil without excessive saponification of the oil due to an excess of sodium.

Neglecting traces of sodium and water in the neutral oil, the recovery of neutral oil, R, can be calculated as follows:

stored preparatory to its G.-D.-NT,

where G =neutral oil flow as determined by flowmeter 40;

D =neutral oil density as determined by density meter G =crude oil flow as determined by flowmeter 20;

D =crude oil density as determined by density meter 22;

and

N =neutrol oil in crude oil as determined by analysis.

The precision with which this calculation can be carried out depends upon the accuracy of instrument calibration. If, during a calibration run, the same oil under the same conditions is passed through the two sets of flow and density meters (20, 22 and 40, 42) in series, a calibration factor (fa.) can be calculated for the ratio G /G and another calibration factor (id) for the ratio D /D Equation 1 then becomes:

w-gi- (fag- 52.

In order to initially calibrate the system of FIG. 1, the three-way valves 24,38 and 46 are adjusted such that oil fromdensity meter 22 flows'through by-pass conduit 88 to meters 40 and42 and thence through valve 46 and conduit 90 back to storage tank 16. Under these conditions, the computer 10 calculates'the values for (fa.) and (id). When the'valves 24, 38' and 46 arethen returned toi'the positions shown in FIG. 1 and the refining process started, the computer 10 continually calculates recovery, R, and prints it out ontypewriter 92. This gives the operator an up-to-date indication of recovery such that if the recovery is too low, corrective action can be taken immediately instead of waiting until a complete batch of oil has been processed and the Weight of the refined oil compared with the weight'of the crude.

The flow rate, F of lye into the miner 30 can be expressed as (3). V..FL=.GL'DL where:

G =the flow rate as determined by meter 74, and

D ==K(T -Na where K is a constant, T is the temperature measured by thermometer 72 and Na is the sodium in the lye-as NaOH.

(5) W -62.3-G -K(T where; f

G =water flow rate determined by meter 66;

K;a.constant; and

T =the temperature of the water as determinedby thermometer 64.

The pressure transducers 80..and 82 also send signals to the computer indicative of the input and back pressures of the centrifuge 34. If the back pressure should increase without a corresponding increase in input pressure, it is known that more material is reporting as soap stock.

Optimizing of the process is carried out as follows: the computer can' periodically make a deliberate change (increase) in caustic-to-oil flow ratio by. adjustment of valve 76 and/or valve 68 and measure the corresponding change insodium content by the. sodium analyzer 44 without at this time making a correcting adjustment to back pressure via valve 36. As a diagnostic statement, it can be said that if the sodium is deficient, only a small change in sodium in the neutral oil will be detected since the sodium will react with the free fatty acids. It the sodium is in excess, on the other hand, a small change will again be recorded due to saponification. The largest change will occur with maximum neutralization of free fatty acids and" minimum saponification of the neutral oil. Thus, the computer, by making a series of small changes in caustic-crude oil ratio first in one direction, then in the other, and noting the effects on sodium neutral oil, adjusting back pressure via valve 36 and repeating the process, can establish the optimum sodium hydroxidecrude oil ratio for a given crude. All of this, of course, is controlled primarily by the reading of the sodium analyzer 44; while sodium content is varied by controlling centrifuge back pressure via a set point signal to conwill decrease and vice versa.

With reference now to FIG. 2, the hydrogenation equip ment for the crude oil refined in the process of FIG. 1 is shown. 'It includes a reaction tank 94 into which a batch of refined oil is poured up to the level 96. At the bottomof tank'94 is a conduit 98 having a plurality of openings therein which permit hydrogen to bubble up through the oil within the tank. The space above the level 96 in the tank 94 is connected through conduit 100 and constant displacement pump 102 to the conduit 98. The conduit 98 is also connected through control valve 104, a density meter 106 and a flowmeter 108 to a source of hydrogen under pressure. The signals from the density meter 106 and flowmeter 108 are applied to the computer sh'own 'FIG. 1.

The conduit 100 is connected through a second flowmeter 110, a thermal conductivity analyzer 112, a purge valve 114 and a density meter 116 to a purge outlet port. The signals from flowmeter 110, thermal conductivity analyzer 112 and density meter 116 are also fed back to the computer shown in FIG. 1. In the space above the level 96 of the oil in tank 94, nitrogen will accumulate, and it is the purpose of the purge valve 114 to permit a certain amount of the gas to escape in order to prevent an excessive accumulation of nitrogen above the oil in the tank 94. The thermal conductivity analyzer 112 determines the amount of hydrogen in the purged gas.

The pressure of the gas above the level of the oil in tank 94 is determined by means of a pressure transducer 118 which applies a signal back to the computer 10 of FIG. L'Similarly, the temperature of the oil within tank 94 is measured by thermometer 120 which produces an electrical signal fed back to the computer 10. The signal from pressure transducer 118 is utilized by the computer to produce a set point signal on lead 122 for a pressure controller 124 which regulates the setting of valve 104. The signal from thermometer 120, when fed back to the computer 10, provides a set point signal on lead 126 for a temperature controller 128. The temperature controller 128, in turn, controls a valve 130* supplying cooling water to cooling coils 132 within the tank 94.

In the control of the hydrogenation process, the amount of'hydrogen flowing into the tank 94 is determined from a consideration of the flow rate and density signals produced by transducers 106 'and 108. The amount oi hydrogen leaving the system is determined by the thermal conductivity analyzer in combination with the transducers 110 and 116. The net hydrogen absorbed by the oil, therefore, is the difference between the amount of hydrogen flowing into the system and the amount flowing out; and when this amount reaches the desired value for a particular weight of oil within the tank 94, the process is stopped. The signals from the thermal conductivity analyzer 112 and the transducers 110 and 116 also serve to establish the setting of valve 114, determining the amount of gas which is purged from the top of the tank 94. As the amount of hydrogen in thepurged gas decreases, it is known thatthe amount of nitrogen is increasing and vice versa.

With reference now to FIG. 3, a deodorizer for refined oil is shown.,It includes a vessel 136 into which a batch of oil is poured. Connected to the wall of the vessel 136 above the level of oil therein is a steam ejector 138 which creates a partial vacuum above the oil in the vessel 136. At the bottom of the vessel 136 is a conduit 140 connected to a supply of steam and having openings therein such that steam will bubble up through the oil. The flow rate and density of the steam fed into the system are measured by flowmeter 142 and density meter 144, respectively. The steam output is fed through a total hydrocarbons analyzer 146 to a scrubber, not shown, where the volatiles are recovered. The analyzer 146 is of the type based upon the flame ionization principle. t

It is known that the higher the vacuum above the oil in the vessel 136, the shorter is the time required to complete deodorizing of a batch of oil. The vaporization efiiciency of the process is also a function of the surface area of the steam bubbles passing upwardly through the oil and the time during which they are in contact with the oil. The temperature of the oil is a further factor in the control of the process, since it determines the vapor pressures of the components which are to be removed. The hydraulic head of the oil in the vessel also exerts an effect on the amount of vaporization efiiciency.

Oil losses occur by entrainment in the steam exhausted from the deodorizer vessel and by distillation of the free fatty acids which can be formed by hydrolysis. In the case of the free fatty acids, there comes a point where the formation of them by hydrolysis equals the rate of distillation. With regard to entrainment, the higher the steam flow rate, the higher the oil losses. Less steam is, however, required when a higher vacuum can be obtained.

Both oil losses and deodorizing time are reduced at higher vacuums. However, the capacity of the vacum generating system to handle vapors is limited. The amount of vacuum will also vary from time-to-time dependent on the availability and pressure of the steam supplied to the ejectors and to the cooling water temperature supplied to the barometric condensers in the scrubber. This is thus a major constraint on the system.

The real check on completion of the deodorizing process is the rate of change of volatile content in the vapor. Reaching a low asymptotic value is an indication that an equilibrium condition has been established and that no further improvement can be made in the oil by additional time in the vessel. The operator is advised of this eifect via the total hydrocarbons analyzer 146 such that the deodorizing process can be terminated and the batch removed.

It is also possible to estimate the total amount of volatiles of all types driven off between times t and t for a constant stripping steam flow. The basic relationship between the total amount of steam, S, required to reduce the volatiles from concentration V to concentration V is:

S k In VB where k is a function of the total and partial pressures, the vaporization efficiency and the total amount of oil. Thus, if the total amounts of stripping steam S and S consumed between times t and t and between times t, and t respectively, are known together with the corresponding amounts of volatiles driven off, V and V then:

From the foregoing equations, the constants k and V can be solved by the computer. The amounts of volatiles V and V are determined and fed back to the computer by the total hydrocarbons analyzer 146 while the quantities S and S are determined and fed back to the computer from the elements 142 and 144. Knowing now the quantity V and the desired value of V the total amount of steam required may be calculated; and, knowing the strip ping steam rate, the time required for the volatiles con centration to fall to the value V can be estimated. As will be appreciated, the computer can then automatically terminate the flow of steam at the desired value or can produce an indication such that the operator can perform this function manually.

Although the invention has been shown in connection with certain specific embodiments, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and arrangement of parts may be made to suit re quirements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

removal of volatile materials therein to a desired level, the combination of a vessel containing liquid hydrocarbons to be deodorized, steam jet means above the liquid level insaid vessel for creating a partial vacuum within the space above the hydrocarbons insaid vessel, means for delivering a constant steam flow to the steam jet means, a total hydrocarbons analyzer connectedto the output of said steam jet means for producing at least one electrical signal which varies as a function of the hydrocarbons content of steam leaving the vessel, means for producing an electrical signal which varies as a func-' tion of the amount of steam passing through the jet means, and computer means responsive to said electrical signals for computing the amount of steam to be fed into said steam jet means to reduce the volatile materials in the hydrocarbons to said desired value.

2. The combination of claim 1 including means for bubbling steam through said liquid hydroarbons within said vessel and wherein said latter-mentioned electrical signal varies as a function of the total amount of steam passing through both the jet means and the means for bubbling.

3. The combination of claim 1 including means coupled to said computer for controlling the amount of steam fed to the computer and effective to stop the flow of steam to said steam jet means when said computed amount of steam has been delivered to the steam jet means.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said computer means includes:

(A) computer elements for computing the total amount of steam, S, required to reduce the volatile materials from an unknown concentration, V to a desired concentration, V in accordance with the equation:

where k is a function of the total and partial pressures above the hydrocarbons, the vaporization efliciency, and the total amount of the hydrocarbons; and

(B) computer elements for computing the quantities k and V from the simultaneous equations:

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,061,622 10/ 1962 Fiala 20342 3,160,582 12/1964 Cabbage 296-132 1,361,834 12/1920 De Baufre 417-188 3,020,213 2/1962 Lupler 202206 3,622,466 11/1971 West 203Dig. 14

W'ILBUR L. .BASCOMB, IR., Primary Examiner I U.S. c1. X.R. 202-183, 206, 234; 2o3-s, 92, Dig. 14; 260-428;

1. In a system for deodorizing liquid hydrocarbons by 417-188 

